Against the backdrop of an ongoing technological revolution, ministers responsible for digital, telecommunications, and artificial intelligence (AI) policies from the 21 APEC member economies met for the first time on Monday (04.08.2025) to address, in a coordinated manner, the challenges and opportunities of the digital environment.
under the motto “Building a sustainable tomorrow", proposed by South Korea as host of APEC 2025, the First Ministerial Meeting on Digital and Artificial Intelligence highlighted the urgency of moving towards trustworthy, secure and people-centered approaches to digital transformation and the use of AI.
"We are at the forefront of a monumental wave of transformation", Held Kyunghoon Bae, Minister of Science and ICT of Korea and chair of the meeting. "“How we respond to this wave will determine everyone’s future.”
During the day, representatives discussed policies to promote meaningful digital connectivity, foster emerging technologies for public purposes, and strengthen international cooperation, with the goal of ensuring trustworthy, ethical, and mutually beneficial AI systems among the region's economies.
The meeting marked a significant step in the implementation of the APEC Internet and Digital Economy Roadmap, which promotes collaboration on issues such as broadband access, digital trust, capacity building, and AI governance.
In his remarks to the ministers, Eduardo Pedrosa, Executive Director of APEC, stressed the need to anticipate the impact of AI in the coming years:“Artificial intelligence will transform healthcare, education, commerce, and public safety. Our responsibility as a region is to stay ahead of these conversations so that innovation can be a driver of sustainable growth.".
The results of the meeting will form the basis of the APEC AI Initiative., driven by Korea, which seeks to promote forward-looking innovation, build capacity across various social sectors, and encourage investment in robust AI infrastructure that guarantees broad and inclusive benefits.
As a continuation of the ministerial event, The APEC Global Digital and AI Forum, co-hosted by the Government of Korea and the World Bank, will be held on August 5. This forum will bring together policymakers, innovators, and academics to translate political commitments into concrete actions.
APEC, a forum founded in 1989 that currently represents 60% of the world's GDP and 40% of the planet's population, brings together 21 territories in Asia and America bathed by the Pacific Ocean: Australia, Brunei, Canada Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, United States and Vietnam.
Aduana News is the first Argentine customs newspaper to launch its digital version. With 20 years of experience, its publications and initiatives aim to provide the most relevant knowledge on customs issues in order to contribute to safe trade in the region.
